Do your kids love icecream cake for their birthdays, too? I’ve learned from past experience that they are expensive; even when I used to just get the ones with questionable ingredients from the grocery store, they were still expensive. Instead, try making an easy homemade icecream cake! (Hint, mine isn’t as pretty as this one, but it also doesn’t have any dangerous food coloring.) We had some family over for two of our kids’ birthdays, and instead of paying $70 for a big ice cream cake from a local bakery like we’ve done in the past (and who knows for sure about those ingredients), we just made it ourselves! Remember I told you our daughter loves being in the kitchen? Well, she did a lot of it herself and it turned out pretty yummy.

Did you know that U.S. food regulations allow ground nut husk to be scented with cinnamon bark oil and sold as ground cinnamon? It also allows the addition of flour to prevent this “cinnamon” from caking!

Don’t you wonder if those who are sensitive to grains are aware of this?!

I’ve been learning a lot about cinnamon since getting to know Rupert, who owns Cinnamon Hill, a company selling fresh REAL cinnamon sticks from Sri Lanka and Vietnam, along with a cool looking, specially designed cinnamon grater.

I asked Rupert to explain why else fresh is better, besides that it’s not FAKE and it doesn’t have flour added, as if that’s not enough…

If you’re looking for a healthy broccoli soup recipe, this one is the best and I love how quick it is to whip up. It’s such a basic, simple cream of broccoli soup, but it’s made with Parmesan so it’s extra dreamy. (It’s also a good way to eat up some of your nourishing turkey broth if you’re a little sick of traditional turkey leftovers by now!)

I have another post with a twist on this one that you may want to check out: low carb broccoli cheese soup. That one was a guest post from my sister, and it has been one of my most popular posts, believe it or not, and you can see how well-loved it is by all the comments. By the way, notice the new picture at that link, and speaking of pictures, check out the one above that I took MYSELF, for real guys!

We had a big bunch of friends over for dinner recently and I wanted to serve twice-baked potatoes, but knew I wouldn’t have time to make the traditional twice-baked potatoes where you stand over a load of potatoes to scoop out the insides, mix it with all the goodies, and spoon it all back into the middle and then bake again. Thankfully my friend, Mary Jo, was here and she saved the day by suggesting I just throw everything in my big crock pot — it tastes just as crazy-good and saves a ton of time! Here’s how I did it…

Want to know how to make perfect oatmeal? Here’s a superfood oatmeal breakfast recipe that is quick and easy, and you can feel good about feeding it to your family. This oatmeal is loaded with nutrients and tastes like a light morning custard!

When Mom was sick last summer we spent a lot of time trying to find something that sounded good to her, and one thing she liked once in a while was oatmeal. I never used to like it much (except for this healthy baked oatmeal recipe, or “apple pie oatmeal”, everybody loves that!), but this stove-top version really grew on me and now I love it.

Looking for a copycat Panera egg souffle recipe?

I don’t travel all that much, but when I’m out of town, Panera is one place I might visit if it’s necessary to eat out. For sure they aren’t perfect (eating at home is your only shot at keeping your food real), but they do have real butter available. That is a HUGE plus in my book because healthy fats are protective against some of the other junk you may be eating. (Have you read this one? How to eat carbs safely and lower the glycemic index of the foods you love.)

They also have salads and some no-meat options, because avoiding mystery meat is also a high priority when we’re not at home. (Here’s a good source for healthy meat online if you don’t have a local source.) They even have a new sprouted grain bagel!

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/12/17/panera-egg-souffle-recipe/feed/1How to Get Stains Out of a White Shirt for REAL (with Pictures!)http://catholicmom.com/2014/12/03/how-to-get-stains-out-of-a-white-shirt-for-real-with-pictures/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/12/03/how-to-get-stains-out-of-a-white-shirt-for-real-with-pictures/#commentsWed, 03 Dec 2014 18:30:18 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=74946

Do you want to know how to get stains out of a white shirt? (Or out of anything?)

It’s a good thing I don’t shop at expensive clothing stores, because most of my tops become one-wear disposables since I can’t seem to remember to throw on an apron when I’m cooking, or lean over my plate a little more when eating. As a real foodie, I like my meals dripping with butter, you know, so that doesn’t bode well for my shirts either. This can get expensive!

When Branch Basics sent me some of their cleaning solution, they said that along with the many different cleaning applications, it can also get out set in clothing stains, but I didn’t believe it. I’ve tried all the natural stuff and the crappy store brand stain removal potions, and nothing has been able to get all my stains out. I’d be embarrassed to tell you how many shirts I’ve thrown away, it’s so wasteful!

You will love this Paprika Chicken Breast with Pasta and Herbed Sour Cream Sauce, guaranteed.

I don’t know about you, but I love anything with lots of real cream, whether it’s cream in my coffee (that’s how I redeem my morning coffee), or sour cream on one of our favorite Mexican dishes, and anything else, too!

Do you still think you shouldn’t be eating the fat that is in real cream? Oh myyyyy, I hope you’ll read more here about healthy fats and come back to the real stuff! It’s good for you and tastes so good, too. Not only that, but if you don’t have enough fats in your diet, you can’t absorb and use all the nutrients in the other good foods you’re eating.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/11/19/paprika-chicken-breast-with-pasta-and-herbed-sour-cream-sauce-gluten-free-options/feed/0Our Homeschooling Days are LONG — How Long is YOUR Average Homeschool Day?http://catholicmom.com/2014/11/05/our-homeschooling-days-are-long-how-long-is-your-average-homeschool-day/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/11/05/our-homeschooling-days-are-long-how-long-is-your-average-homeschool-day/#commentsWed, 05 Nov 2014 18:30:16 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=71703

Overall our school year is going pretty well so far, but every day seems to be so busy and so LONG.

Maybe you can tell me what I’m doing wrong?

We’re using this curriculum loosely, and changing things up as needed to make it fit our kids better. For example, instead of having our 10th grader write paper after paper after paper, we’re using this VLA program that one of you told us about. We love the whole philosophy — it’s working out great! Thankfully that part is going well, however…

Everything takes up so much TIME!

Language arts is a breeze for our daughter, but math is where she struggles, so I need to sit down with her every day for 45-60 minutes just in that one subject. Our 10th grader is like our grown son in that he’s not a visual learner, so when he has assigned reading he’ll do it, but if I ask him about it later not a lot has “sunk in.” If I really want him to learn it, I need to read it out loud TO him, and this takes up a big chunk of the day, too.

Good morning reader friends. Do you love curling up with a good book, too? My favorite relaxing pastime is reading, and today I’m giving you a little peek at some of my top picks — what’s on my nightstand or by my favorite chair at the moment; some foodie related, some not…

(If you buy any of the below, I’m super grateful if you go through these links as it helps to pay the bills around here, and there are always plenty, especially the way I have a knack for breaking stuff! Prices are the same no matter how you click over.)

Mostly lately I’ve been learning a ton from this guy: Dan at Blogging Concentrated. I subscribed to his online instructional videos and info, and it has been VERY worth it already. (If you’re new to blogging OR you have been around for a while like I have and feel like it’s about time you figure out what the heck you’re doing (!!), you should definitely check them out.)

Good morning! Lately I’ve been replacing the pictures in some of my older posts, which were pretty darn pathetic, with new ones that have sometimes been taken myself and other times I’ve had help. I thought I’d share a few of these before and after shots with you just to show you the transformation in these before and after recipe photos.

Do you love a good spicy Thai stir-fry now and then for something different that is bursting with flavor? This gluten-free main dish can be made with beef, chicken or pork, whatever you have on hand!

I adore Thai food but was only introduced to Pad Phet this year by my sister-in-law. Pad Phet is a spicy Thai stir-fry flavored with red curry paste. It is typically made with eggplant and bell peppers but I like to use a mix of veggies. As much as I love red, green, and yellow coconut curries (made with coconut milk), I think I like this even better. Plus it’s nice to have another Thai dish in my repertoire.

Have you struggled along your real food journey like I have? Have there been frustrating (and expensive!) bumps in the road? Whether you’re a beginner or well beyond, today I want to throw my arm around you and let you know that I’ve been there and you are normal.

If you ever wonder if it’s really true, that everyone has kitchen flops and misguided first-starts, then I’m just the one to reassure you!

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/09/11/has-your-real-food-journey-been-bumpy-and-expensive/feed/0Easy Peanut Butter Dip Recipehttp://catholicmom.com/2014/09/04/easy-peanut-butter-dip-recipe/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/09/04/easy-peanut-butter-dip-recipe/#commentsThu, 04 Sep 2014 17:30:21 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=68023I don’t remember where I originally found this easy peanut butter dip recipe, but I know I cut the sugar in half and it’s still so dreamy! We like it with apples, and I buy organic since they’re usually a highly-sprayed crop. It is also great with bananas or these spelt pretzels!

Recently I wanted an organic barbecue sauce for chicken and we used to like a store-bought kind, but those days are over since it has high fructose corn syrup (heart-killer ingredient), just like all store-bought sauces do. We’ve tried an organic barbecue sauce at the health food store and didn’t like it. So I made up my own with help from my friend, Nancy!

My Mom has been wanting some lemon ice cream, and since we can’t find it anywhere, I decided to just make it myself. Besides, ice cream at home can be made with your own real food, delicious, nutritious ingredients. Things like raw pastured egg yolks, real cream, raw milk, natural sweeteners (and less than the stuff at the store has)… You get the idea.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/08/21/how-to-make-lemon-ice-cream-smooth-sweet-and-tangy/feed/0Sugar Addiction Help: My Easy Tips for How to Curb a Sweet Toothhttp://catholicmom.com/2014/08/14/sugar-addiction-help-my-easy-tips-for-how-to-curb-a-sweet-tooth/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/08/14/sugar-addiction-help-my-easy-tips-for-how-to-curb-a-sweet-tooth/#commentsThu, 14 Aug 2014 17:30:15 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=66892If you think there’s no sugar addiction help for you, or there’s no way you can learn how to curb a sweet tooth, wait ’til you hear my tip. I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now and it really works, I’ve even lost ten pounds!

I’ve always been a sweets freak.

Once I switched over to real food (read about my “food conversion” story here), there was a drastic difference right away, because when your body is nourished, especially with enough healthy fats, then your cravings naturally decrease, but at times over the years I still ate too many desserts.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/08/14/sugar-addiction-help-my-easy-tips-for-how-to-curb-a-sweet-tooth/feed/0The Best Pasta Salad Recipe!http://catholicmom.com/2014/08/07/the-best-pasta-salad-recipe/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/08/07/the-best-pasta-salad-recipe/#commentsThu, 07 Aug 2014 17:30:24 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=66651Soon our garden will be bursting with fresh tomatoes and peppers, so along with the other veggies that I can snag at the farmer’s market and the real foodie dressing ingredients, this makes the BEST pasta salad recipe because all the flavors blend so perfectly together. It’s also a super easy salad to throw together for your summer cook-outs — it’ll be a hit!

The original recipe called for “Accent”. I had no idea what it was until I read the ingredient label on the bottle at the store, there’s only ONE ingredient: MSG!!! Obviously, I dropped the bottle in the aisle and ran. It was still just as delicious without it.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/08/07/the-best-pasta-salad-recipe/feed/0Healthy Nut Bar Recipe — Energy Barshttp://catholicmom.com/2014/07/31/healthy-nut-bar-recipe-energy-bars/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/07/31/healthy-nut-bar-recipe-energy-bars/#commentsThu, 31 Jul 2014 17:30:25 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=66447You’ll go wild over this healthy nut bar recipe. It’s my new favorite no GMO snack/treat, and very easy to make. (Thank you Anthony from the comments for reminding me to put the “no sweets are healthy” disclaimer on this, but it’s a *little* better than some other treats.)

The only downside is that all the nuts can get expensive if you make it a lot. Be sure to check out the information below about the various sweeteners if you haven’t seen it already, including why the natural sweeteners in this recipe are a better choice compared to refined sugars.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2014/07/31/healthy-nut-bar-recipe-energy-bars/feed/0Is Your Toothbrush Causing Gum Disease?http://catholicmom.com/2014/07/24/is-your-toothbrush-causing-gum-disease/
http://catholicmom.com/2014/07/24/is-your-toothbrush-causing-gum-disease/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 17:30:39 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=66142Does your family use electric or manual toothbrushes? Can the type of toothbrush you use actually help to prevent gum disease? What’s with the occasional hormonal halitosis?

Not long ago we got electric toothbrushes (battery operated actually) for all six of us, for two reasons:

Like most kids, ours aren’t the best brushers, so I figured this would be a good way to boost their efforts.

I’m always hoping to whiten my teeth and just can’t bring myself to use those nasty bleach kits, so I hoped that the stronger action of an electric brush would help.

Then I read that electric toothbrushes, and manual brushes with the wrong type of bristles, could be causingmore harm than good if you’re not brushing right, and that it could be damaging to your gums, which opens yourself up to gum disease!